Fruit-picking bag



A. W. SHARRARD.

FRUIT PICKING BAG. APPLICATION man MAY 25, 1920.

A. 0U 9 1 5 8H i W m m A. W. SHARRARD.

FRUIT PICKI NG BAG.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 25, 1920 Patented Sept. 28, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES ARTHUR W. SHARRABD, F CHELAN FALLS, WASHINGTON.

FRUIT-PICKING BAG.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 28, 1920.

Application filed May 25, 1920. Serial No. 384,197.

To all whom it may concern:

through the same, 1

Be it known that I, ARTHUR IV. SHAR- RARD, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Chelan Falls, in the county of Chelan and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fruit- Picking Bags, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in fruit picking bags.

An important object of the invention is to provide a bag of the above mentioned character, having means to evenly distribute the weight or pull upon the shoulders near the neck and'the lower portion of the back, at the same time maintaining the bag proper in a substantially upright position so that its lower end is suitably spaced from the knees of the picker, whereby he may conveniently walk, or climb up and down a ladder, without liability of injuring or bruising the fruit by striking the same with the knees.

A further object of the invention is to provide a supporting frame, having a large area to contact with the abdomen, and so constructed that it is simple, strong, and inexpensive to manufacture.

A further object of the invention is to provide eyes upon the-main frame, serving for connection with the supporting and retaining straps, and also to engage with reinforcing strips serving to cover the eyes and as attaching means for the bag.

Other objects and advantages of the in vention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate lik parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fruit picking bag embodying my invention,

Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section Fig. 3 is an enlargedperspective view of thebag, seen from the rear side, the lower portion being broken away,

'Fig. 4; is a perspective view of the frame,

Fig.5 is a side elevation of one of the covering and securing straps, parts being broken away.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 10 designates a supporting frame, as a whole, which is preferably formed of a section of stiff wire, bent for providing an upper horizontal portion 11, which is longitudinally curved, and bent at one end to form a vertical eye 12. The wire extends from the eye 12 in a vertical transverse end 13, bent into a vertical eye 14. From the eye 14 the wire is extended in the lower horizontal portion 15, which is longitudinally curved, and disposed parallel with the upper portion 11. At its end, portion 15 is bent into a vertical eye 16, and the wire is continued in a vertical end 17 provided at its upper end with a vertical eye 18. From the eye 18 the wire is extended in a horizontal suspension portion 19, which is longitudinally curved, and has vertical eyes 20 and a horizontal eye 21 formed therein, as shown. The free end of the horizontal portion 11 is bent into a hook 22, which engages within the eye 18, and receives therein the portions of the wire, which cross, as shown. The free end of the suspension portion- 19 is bent into a hook 23, which engages in the eye 12, in a similar manner.

The numeral 24 designates diagonal elements or braces, preferably formed of stiff wire, having their lower ends bent into eyes or hooks 25 engaging within the eyes 14: and 16, and receiving therein the portions of wire which cross, as shown. The upper ends of the braces 24.- are bent into hooks 26, engaging within the eyes 2'(),, and receiving therein the portions of the eyes which cross,

as shown.

The numeral 27 designates a bag portion,

formed of suitable flexible material. such as stout cloth. This bag portion is tubular and has its upper and lower ends open. The upper end of the bag portion is extended -within the horizontal frame, embodying elecovering strips, extending forwardly about the vertical eyes 20, and having their inner ends converging and stitched to the hem 28,

at 31." Similar strips 32"are rovided for able, and these shoulder straps are provided at their forward ends with loops 34k, prefervertical eyes 20. These loops, together with the strips 30, substantially cover the vertical eyes 20, thereby preventing the fruit from being bruised by contact therewith. At their opposite ends, "the shoulder straps 33 have detachable hooks 35, to engage 'with the lower eyes 16.

Iprovide a waist-strap 36, which is preferably longitudinally adjustable, and one end of this strap is permanently secured to the upper eye '12, while its opposite end car- I ries a detachable hook 37, to engage within the eye 18. Particular attention is called to the fact that the portions 11 and 15 and ends 13 constitute a rectangularupright frame, adapted to contact with'the abdomen, and

that the shoulder straps-33 connect with the bottom of this abdomen contacting frame, while the waist-strap 36 connects with its top. This isan important feature of the invention, as it equally distributes the weight or pull upon the shoulders and the lowcr portion of the bag, and also maintains the bag portion substantially perpendicular.

The lower end of the bag portion is formed open, and is closed to :prevent the spilling of the contents, by folding the same transversely and also diagonally, as'shown. A strap 37 is attached to the lower end of the bag portion, and carries asnap-hook 38, preferably faced inwardly for convenience of operation. This snap-hook is adapted to detachably engage in' a loop 39, secured to a strap 40, the upper end of which is passed holding capacity, and whenthishook engages within the inclined eye 2l,'the holdstrap 36 extends about the waist.

ing capacity is reduced to the minimum;

" In'the use of the bag,"the straps 33 are placed about'the shoulder of the picker, with the arms extending between them,,while-the It is obvious that the supporting frame is not only 'pivoted upon the lower eyes 14 and 16, but

also isheld horizontally by the waist-strap 36. This means enablesthe weight of the bag and itscontents, to be placed upon the shoulder straps and ,waist-straps,' which thus have a compensating'action'and evenly distribute the pull upon the shoulders and member.

lower portion of the bag. This is very important, as in the ordinary bag, the entire load is suspended from the shoulders, particularly at the back of the neck'fwhich becomesfatiguing after hours of work.

lVhen the bag portion is filled with fruit, its contents may be emptiedby opening its lower end. i

.It is to be understood that the form of 'my invention herewith shown and deably formed of leather, passlng through the;-

scribed is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention, or thescope of the 'subjoine d claims.

Having thus described -,my invention, I

claim r .1. A fruit picking bag of the character described, comprising a supporting frame embodying an abdomen engaging portion havingupper and lower members, and a suspension element carried by theupp'er membe a bag portion secured to the uppe ber and the suspension 5 element, shoulder straps connected with the suspension element at points spaced from the'up'per member and having their "opposite ends connected with the, lower member, and a'waiststrap connected with "the ends, of the upper 2. A fruit picking bag of the character described,comprising an abdomen engaging v frame, of a substantlal helght, a suspension element connected with the top of theframe, a bagportion secured to the top of the frame and the suspension element, shoulder straps secured to the suspension element at points spaced from the top1of the frame and having their upper ends connected with the frame at its bottom, and'a waist-strap connected with the ends'of the frame at'its top.

7 3. A fruit picking bag of the character described, comprising asupporting frameformed of a sectionof wire'bent into'alongitudinally curved abdomen engaging frame including upper and lower members, and a suspension element carried by 'the' upper member," diagonal braces connecting the lower member and thesuspension element, a bag portion carried by the upper member and the suspension element, shoulder straps having forward ends secured to the suspension element at'points'spaced from the upper member and rear ends connected with'the lower member, and awa'ist-strap secured-to the lower member. T v 4:. A fruit picking bagofth'e character longitudinally curved frame and having eyes formed therein, diagonabbra'c'es en ag described, comprising a supporting frame ing within the lower eyes and in the eyes In testimony whereof I aflix my signature 10 of the suspension element, shoulder straps in presence of two witnesses.

connected with the eyes of the suspension element and the eyes at the lower corners ARTHUR W. SHARRARD.

of the longitudinally curved frame, at waiststrap connected with the eyes at the upper Witnesses:

corner of the longitudinally curved frame,

and a bag portion secured to the suspension W. J. CAGLE,

element. CHAS. R. SARGENT. 

